🍫🍃 Homemade Thin Mint Cookies
Crispy, chocolatey, and packed with refreshing mint flavor, these homemade Thin Mint-style cookies are a delicious treat you can make right in your own kitchen. The cookies are baked until crisp, then dipped in a smooth chocolate-mint coating and chilled until perfectly set.
🍪 Ingredients
For the Cookies
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1½ cups (190 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (45 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the Chocolate-Mint Coating
- 2 cups (340 g) semisweet or dark chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon vegetable shortening or coconut oil
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
👩🍳 Instructions
1. Make the Cookie Dough
In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar together until light and creamy, about 2–3 minutes.
Add the egg, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract. Beat until well combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing just until a soft dough forms. Don’t overmix.
2. Chill the Dough
Divide the dough into two portions and flatten each into a disk.
Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30–45 minutes.
Chilling makes the dough easier to roll and helps the cookies hold their shape.
3. Roll and Cut
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Place the chilled dough between two sheets of parchment paper.
Roll it out to approximately ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick.
Remove the top sheet of parchment and use a small round cookie cutter, about 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter, to cut out the cookies.
Transfer the cookies to parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving a little space between them.
Gather the scraps, chill briefly if necessary, and roll again.
4. Bake
Bake for approximately 8–10 minutes, depending on the thickness of your cookies.
The cookies should look set around the edges.
Don’t worry if they seem slightly soft when they first come out—they’ll become crisp as they cool.
Allow them to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
🍫 5. Make the Chocolate Coating
Place the chocolate chips and shortening or coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl.
Microwave in 20–30 second intervals, stirring well between each interval, until completely melted and smooth.
Stir in the peppermint extract.
Tip: Don’t add water to melted chocolate, as even a small amount can cause it to seize.
6. Dip the Cookies
Once the cookies are completely cool, dip them one at a time into the melted chocolate.
Use a fork to lift each cookie out, allowing the excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl.
Place the coated cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
If desired, use the tines of a fork to create the little ridges often seen on chocolate-covered mint cookies.
7. Chill Until Set
Place the cookies in the refrigerator for approximately 15–20 minutes, or until the chocolate coating is completely firm.
🍃 Tips for Perfect Thin Mint-Style Cookies
Roll them thin. The signature texture comes from a crisp, delicate cookie rather than a thick, soft one.
Don’t overbake. The cookies will continue to crisp as they cool.
Use peppermint extract carefully. A little goes a long way. Peppermint extract is much stronger than regular mint flavoring.
Let the cookies cool completely before dipping. Warm cookies can make the chocolate coating slide off.
Use good-quality chocolate. Since the chocolate is such a major part of the finished cookie, a chocolate you enjoy eating on its own will make a noticeable difference.
❄️ How to Store Them
Keep the finished cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for about 1 week, or refrigerate them if your kitchen is warm.
For an extra-crispy, refreshing treat, you can also store them in the refrigerator.
They can be frozen in an airtight freezer container for approximately 2–3 months. Place parchment paper between layers to prevent them from sticking together.
🍫 Can You Freeze Thin Mints?
Absolutely!
Arrange the completely set cookies in a freezer-safe container with parchment paper between the layers. Freeze until firm.
They’re delicious straight from the freezer—the chocolate becomes crisp and the mint flavor is even more refreshing.
❤️ Homemade Thin Mint-Style Cookies
With a crisp chocolate cookie, a cool peppermint flavor, and a smooth chocolate coating, these homemade cookies are incredibly satisfying.
Make a batch, put some in the freezer, and you’ll have a homemade chocolate-mint treat ready whenever the craving hits! 🍃🍫
